But probably not to the 55 million passengers a year predicted by the FAA for 2030.

Boivin, the new Metropolitan Airports Commission chairman appointed by Gov. Dayton, says the airport needs to expand.

But not until airline company tenants are ready to help foot the bill.

Boivin says the MAC’s job, among others, is to keep the place competitive so airlines want to use it. That means, he says, keeping MSP user costs in the lower third of bigger airport costs.

Boivin also knows what the MAC needs to avoid: losing its hub status like Cincinatti.

He says way down the road, there may someday be the need for a new airport. But not in the short term. Short term, in airport parlance, is twenty years. It’s worth pondering. MSP is 3,400 acres, a postage stamp, compared to 33,000 for Denver.